From dev-return-42490-apmail-httpd-dev-archive=httpd.apache.org@httpd.apache.org Thu Jun 03 01:31:52 2004 Return-Path: Delivered-To: apmail-httpd-dev-archive@www.apache.org Received: (qmail 17590 invoked from network); 3 Jun 2004 01:31:51 -0000 Received: from hermes.apache.org (HELO mail.apache.org) (209.237.227.199) by minotaur-2.apache.org with SMTP; 3 Jun 2004 01:31:51 -0000 Received: (qmail 7906 invoked by uid 500); 3 Jun 2004 01:32:07 -0000 Delivered-To: apmail-httpd-dev-archive@httpd.apache.org Received: (qmail 7670 invoked by uid 500); 3 Jun 2004 01:32:05 -0000 Mailing-List: contact dev-help@httpd.apache.org; run by ezmlm Precedence: bulk Reply-To: dev@httpd.apache.org list-help: list-unsubscribe: list-post: Delivered-To: mailing list dev@httpd.apache.org Received: (qmail 7645 invoked by uid 99); 3 Jun 2004 01:32:05 -0000 Received: from [216.255.199.145] (HELO utopia.in.force-elite.com) (216.255.199.145) by apache.org (qpsmtpd/0.27.1) with ESMTP; Wed, 02 Jun 2004 18:32:05 -0700 X-AuthUser: chip@force-elite.com Received: from [10.0.0.22] (10.0.0.22:37020) by utopia.in.force-elite.com with [XMail 1.17 (Linux/Ix86) ESMTP Server] id for from ; Thu, 03 Jun 2004 01:31:31 -0000 Subject: Rebuilding modules.apache.org From: Paul Querna To: httpd-dev , apache-modules Content-Type: text/plain Message-Id: <1086226291.30306.24.camel@localhost> Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Ximian Evolution 1.5.7 Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 18:31:31 -0700 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Virus-Checked: Checked X-Spam-Rating: minotaur-2.apache.org 1.6.2 0/1000/N Greetings, modules.apache.org (MAO) has housed a listing for Apache Modules for several years now. In #apache-modules on Freenode IRC we have had many discussions on how to improve the limited focus of the current MAO website. Our goal is to build a new Apache Modules website using a native Apache Module, and for this module to also serve as an excessively documented example of building an Internet Application with Apache. Our plans for a new site focus on three main audiences: 1) People Searching for a Module 2) People developing Modules 3) People listing their modules for others to find. Finding a Module: This is perhaps the most common visitor to the site. They are browsing for a module to help them accomplish something. The area is somewhat addressed with the existing website, but is very limited with only a simple text search available. Our plans are to include a browsable hierarchical category system, in addition to an expanded text and keyword searching system. Developing Modules: An area of general weakness for HTTPd is the lack of developer documentation. The current website has a few links to mostly outdated documents. We plan to address this audience in two thrusts. First, provide concise tutorials by using simple modules to help people just starting with Apache. This could also include general overviews of the Apache architecture and examples of the various handlers or filters. Secondly, to provide a well documented complete application(the website itself!) as an example of more advanced development and integration. Additionally we would like to have complete and searchable API documentation to help the more experienced developers. Listing Modules: Our goal here is to provide an easy to use interface to let modules authors advertise their modules. The current website does not have centralized accounts, so each module has a separate login. Our plans are to complete redesign this interface to have one account per author and allow many more details of a Module be included in its description. In the future we would also expand this to let other users comment on a module. We have an initial design document that outlines our basic technical architecture: http://svn.outoforder.cc/svn/mod_modules/trunk/docs/design.xml We are looking for feedback on our plans. What do you want to see on a new modules website? What features are important to you? What hurdles do you see to a successfully replacement? What other audiences should we try to address? Thank You, -Paul Querna